Vacations Blog

How, you ask, are the UpTake Vacation writers spending their fall? Well, thanks for asking. We’re doing a lot of this:

Lehner Pumpkin Farm in Radnor, Ohio

Linus: Each year, the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch that he thinks is the most sincere. He’s gotta pick this one. He’s got to. I don’t see how a pumpkin patch can be more sincere than this one. You can look around and there’s not a sign of hypocrisy. Nothing but sincerity as far as the eye can see.

Entry and photo by Ed.

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Victoria Ferry Coming into Port

The first thing of note about Victoria, British Columbia is that when making plans to travel there it’s likely that you’ll be traveling there by a ferry or cruise. Located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria is the capital of British Columbia. The beautiful metropolis is a tourist hotspot in British Columbia, offering a rich history, beautiful architecture, much greenspace and a wide-variety of attractions. Although you can fly into the Vancouver International Airport and take a bus or car into Victoria, traveling by ferry is the primary mode of transportation to and from Victoria. Located just above Washington state, it’s a great day trip for travelers staying in the Seattle area.

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USS Arizona Memorial

Pearl Harbor is the #1 most popular tourist attraction on the island of Oahu, but that is not why I visited.  I’m not a history buff, or interested in war trivia, or necessarily drawn to hallowed ground, so that’s not why I went either.  I went because I know and love many men and women who have served in the Armed Forces.  I have dated them, sprung from their loins, even considered becoming one myself.  (That’s for a different website.)  And so when I had some time in my schedule on Oahu, I looked into visiting this national monument.

When I asked locals what I should know about going to visit Pearl Harbor, I was told without variation that I should “go early, to avoid the lines.”  The monument’s website is very clear about the process for your visit – pick up a timed ticket, wait in line, no bags or backpacks or even diaper bags allowed.  I succeeded in packing light, but not at arriving early.  I made it out to the visitor’s center at about 11:00 AM on a Friday in September.  There was no line.  I got a ticket for the tour starting in five minutes, so there was little wait.  And the center wasn’t very crowded, so the whole experience was…pleasant.

It is odd to say that this visit was pleasant because essentially you are visiting an underwater tomb. Read More »

Manarola from the hiking trail

The Cinque Terre region of Italy is one of the most beautiful spots in the country. Cinque Terre means “Five Lands” in Italian and is a collection of five small villages nestled into the cliffs on the Ligurian Sea. The villages were founded on agriculture and fishing, but now survive with the help of tourists dollars.

Cinque Terre is an easy day trip from Florence, Pisa or Milan (Pisa is the closest airport), but you should plan at least two days on the shortest trip, and more like 4-5 if you really want to relax. There’s not a whole lot to do in Cinque Terre really, but that is its charm.

Each of the five villages has its own distinct personality. Monterosso is the most resorty of the towns. It is the only one with full-service hotels and a true beach – though it is a rocky one. Just south of the town is Vernazza, another village popular with tourists and known for its picturesque harbor (it also has a very small beach).

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This one seems to good to be true, but it seems to be true nonetheless.  In a promotion with the Aussie offshoot of Virgin Airlines, V Australia, the popular rock band JET is inviting fans to join them on the Los Angeles to Sydney leg of their current world tour, leaving Los Angeles on December 2.

For $1,099 per person, double occupancy, this is what you get:

• Roundtrip International Economy airfare – on the same plane as the band
• 4 nights at the Vibe Sydney
• Return Airport Transfers
• Tickets to the legendary Sydney Homebake Festival
• Commemorative “Jet with JET” t-shirt
• Tickets to a separate intimate performance on Dec. 6
• Meet and greet with the band
• A copy of the band’s latest album – Shaka Rock

Come party with us, mates.

[Photo by Beatrice Neumann]

*Stop looking at me like that.  NOW I know who they are.

Southwest Airplanes

For the last couple years, as many airlines have gone under, there have been that select group of airlines that have continued to grow and rise in popularity. Although considered a smaller airline compared to some of its competitors, Southwest Airlines has quickly risen as one of the most liked and most flown airlines, predominantly because of its customer service and low fees. Now, for only a couple days, you can fly for Southwest Air for even cheaper rates, as they’re offering steeply discounted fares for as low as $25.

Southwest has become quite popular and talked about among the major airlines over the last year because of its strong social media and customer service presence. Southwest is especially popular on Twitter, as it ranks high in popularity along with JetBlue with almost one million followers. Southwest is also preferred because of the perks it offers that other airlines do not. To this point, Southwest continues to offer complimentary snacks and drinks, while many airlines have started to charge for many food and drink options. Another major pain for travelers is fees for checking in baggage. This is a fee that Southwest waives, compared to many other airlines which are now charging for checked bags. Read More »

A Vineyard in Rioja

The Rioja region is Spain’s largest and most famous wine region, yet it’s still relatively undiscovered by tourism. There are over 500 wineries in operation, but many do not offer tours, or offer tours only by appointment or only in Spanish. It can be difficult to get around the area without a car. But, with some careful planning, you can arrange a few days of touring and tasting even if you are traveling without a car or don’t speak fluent Spanish.

You can still tour the wineries of the Rioja region by bus and train, but a bit more coordination is necessary, and you may have to spring for a taxi to reach a few of the further out wineries.  The rail company Renfe services Logrono and Haro, and Alsa runs regional buses between most of the smaller towns.

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The Renaissance Festival Grounds

Arizona’s annual Renaissance Festival kicks off on February 6th, 2010, and runs through the end of March. I’m giving you plenty of head’s up so you can plan your vacation to Arizona accordingly! Need to get out of the snow and cold of your home state (or country)? A visit to Arizona in February will treat you to sunshine and temperatures in the high-sixties.

I may complain about the summers on a regular basis, but I’ve got nothing but good things to say about the winters.

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